On Sunday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett broadcasted a personal appeal to Israel’s Arab citizens, asking them to go and get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
“My dear Israeli citizens, members of the Arab population, I am appealing to you with an important personal request,” Bennett said. “Your lives and the lives of your relatives are very important to me.
“This epidemic of the Delta variant is flooding the whole world and bringing with it high rates of contagion and increased mortality rates in many countries. The Delta variant is also spreading through Israel, and those most affected are older people – your parents and your grandparents. Therefore, Israel has obtained additional vaccine doses in order to provide our citizens with a third vaccine dose, so that we can protect all those over the age of 60.”
Bennett noted that vaccination rates among the Arab sector are “too low.”
“I am now appealing to everyone over the age of 60 to go and get a third vaccine shot,” he said. “This will provide total vaccine coverage. And this will save lives.”
Bennett added that he also wanted “young people who haven’t been vaccinated yet – and there are many of you – to go and get vaccinated, which will stop you from contracting the disease and passing it on to others. This will save the lives of your loved ones. I’m relying on you to go and get this done. Thank you very much,” he added in Arabic.